Money

[Babyquack]

Just wondering but how much money do you usually spend at Reading each year on beer, food, merchandise etc?

[rug568]

last year i spent £20 at the festival on food and then £20 on weed.

although i was 17 so couldn't buy beer, so i expect it to go up quite significantly this year.

[Vieuphoria]

I tend to take 50 quid. I don't buy food or drink the arena. Well I will buy a bottle of drink, but just keep refilling it.

[Cieran]

I spent about 120 pounds.

It really depends on how much you want to spent. If you skint, you should only buy booze from tesco and no buy any in the arena and bring your own food.

[Bradders]

£100-£150 over the weekend. Few pints a day, mostly drinking in the campsite, couple of meals, no merchandise. I could spend less if I needed to but it's not a burden to keep it to those levels at all.

[adam1234]

I would say about £200over the weekend

[Cieran]

I like to bring quite a lot, I don't think I'd enjoy the festival as much, if I had to eat food brought from home EVERY meal and not be able to afford drinks in the arena.

Edited August 10, 2012 by Cieran

[Bisque]

£100, I always take more just in case. If I'm worrying about money then I won't have a such a good time.

[mrtourette]

I usually smash £100 a day on food, beer and fags. That includes a few beers in the pub before the arena.

Edited August 11, 2012 by mrtourette

[thetime]

For a weekend fest usually spend 300-400 quid, i dont take food with me and very rare take beer with me either. Much prefer a cold draught beer and saves carrying it all.

I do treat festivals like mini holidays though and dont budget when im there. I do work all year though, i can understand students being on a budget and take there food and drink with them.

[astroman123]

£200 should be enough. Im taking shite loads of beer though as well. It is a bit expensive in the arena. But you might as well enjoy yourself while there.

[Chavmeisterdeluxe]

I usually get paid the Friday of Reading so don't worry about it but this year I don't so Im saving around £150 for it but as it stands I'm comuting in every day so that includes train fares for each day.

[6daviesdr]

Normally bring like 100 fags and 70odd cans, lugged near 100 there last year but wont do tht again, knackrd me carrying. And i like to bring 200 for booze and up to another 100 on my spare bank card for food if iv got it. This year however skint as shit. So going with near none and get paid 100odd on the thursday. So lots of camp drinking and less areana this year sadly

[kaosmark2]

At a weekend festival I usually spend around £80, but it varies depending on how much money I have and how I budget. I only spent £40 at Download and that included buying a camping chair and socks, so really about £20.

If you want to do it cheap, bring food or go out to Tesco and buy a loaf of bread, sliced ham, etc. and make your own sandwiches, bring your own booze in. If you want all your beers cold, hot food every meal, etc. bring £120 +

I personally like having one hot meal each day, and being cheap the rest of the time. And I drink Guinness mainly, so I'm not too bothered about beers being cold unless the fest has a good real ale tent.

[sambrook]

I find that people tend to spend however much they take to be honest. I have friends that have survived on 20 quid and others on 200. The general consensus however seems to be anywhere between 120 and 200 to have a good weekend without worrying about money too much.

[Hart Attack]

£200-ish for me, including the pre-festival food/drink shopping. Will spend about £100 and bring most or all of my own alcohol and some snacks, then spend £100 at the festival on meals and merch.

[LondonTom]

I do about 50 quid a day at a fest usually, but i buy all my food and a few pints on top of the bevy I take. So reading I expected to have done 150ish.

[evilduck]

I usually take about £150 but end up bringing a decent amount home. But I take a lot of food with me, and smuggle spirits into the arena to drink instead of bar prices.

[BishSWFC]

About £250-300, I don't tend to buy merchandise, but I like to make sure I have enough to enjoy myself and not be restricted/watching the money too much, sometimes I spend less, sometimes more.

Word of advice to people, keep your money safe (I know thats a given), I was asleep in my tent last year on the Thursday and someone came in early morning and went through my shorts which unfortunately I'd left near the door, they took the cash from my wallet, the wallet was then dumped by the tent with the shorts round the side of the tent, luckily I only had about £50-60 in it.

My camera, phone etc. were all fine, and when I spoke to security I was advised there were professional gangs looting tents purely for cash, with the possession of other items meaning they could effectively be caught (why would someone have a camera with someone elses photos on). A few people nearby had also been hit.

Whilst it wasn't the end of the world for me due to being in work, and due to the fact I'd planned on making trips to the cash points throughout the weekend so carried less cash, I'd hate for it to ruin the weekend of those who are at college/uni as I know when I first started doing the festival that would have put a massive hole in my weekend.

I'll always keep my cash in my sleeping bag from now on alongside me. Also note for those who haven't been before - don't let this put you off, I think this is my 5th or 6th time, and thats the only issue I've ever had, I've also done a few other festivals without problems.

[evilduck]

Do be wary of putting your valuables right at the bottom of your sleeping bag though. If you have your feet right by the door to your tent, it's still quite easy for a scummy thief to open your tent and then unzip/cut open the bottom of your sleeping bag. I usually keep mine around my middle, which is a bit uncomfortable but I'm fairly sure I'd wake up if anyone tried to steal anything from there!

[astroman123]

The easiest thing to do is put your money in a locker.

[TalkShow Bob]

A t-shirt will cost about £20, A beer in the arena will cost about £4, a meal from a trader will cost about £8 and bottles of soft drink about £2. Shops in town are a short walk away and normal prices.

[Cieran]

The easiest thing to do is put your money in a locker.

[astroman123]

I didn't either. The locker is about £15 but its a small price to pay to keep your stuff secure and safe.

Im planning on using my hipflask with whiskey in to sneak into the arena. Maybe put it down the side of my boots.

Like you said, I dont mind paying for a few beers but if you're planning on getting Smashed you'll have to spend £40 +. That's why im sneaking drink in. Woo!

[Bisque]

I posted this on the V threads a little while ago, might help you to get any alcohol in the arena...

Pick a lane with security of the opposite sex.

Hold your wristband up high & give it a couple of tugs. This distracts security away from your stash & you may be less likely to be searched as they think you're being helpful.

Half empty wine/cider bags are easy to conceal in your crotch area & down the side of a welly. Bag can get stuck or burst in your trousers.

Cans, one in each sock with perhaps another balanced on top. Warning: this makes you walk like John Wayne & is obvious, only recommended for busy periods. I once managed eight freezing cold Tuborgs, four up each leg.

Squashed up 2ltr bottles can fit down the side of a welly but can be painful to walk with.

Petrov vodka pouches are extremely easy to conceal. Keep your pouch & use a funnel to refill it from a larger bottle back at camp.

Refill miniture bottles using a funnel & a larger bottle of spirit back at camp. Can easily go in a welly with some uncomfortableness or in your socks. You'll have to buy mixer once in though.

Never used one but a Camel Back could be used but I don't fancy the idea of walking around drinking out of a straw. I've heard you have to wash them out regularly too.

Small cans eg bullet sized ones, or maybe larger depending on the size of the dog, can be put inside a guide dogs jacket if you have one.

Throwing cans over the fence I find is too obvious & can fizz up the cans. Could also land in someones wee.

Camp chair users maybe able to sneak the odd can in with the chair in the bag. Chairs are often checked however so not worth filling it up.

Smuggling booze into the arena after a couple of hours of it opening is easier as security have become bored. Just buy a pint in there if there's someone on early & you want to get on it straight away. Otherwise patience helps & you can always return with your own stash later.

Don't whip out your contraband out straight away. Wait until you are in a bit of a crowd. Just keep walking.

Obviously don't be shifty when walking through, just smile & say hello.

Take a folded up plastic bag in your pocket with you if you intend to smuggle a fair bit in. You can use it to carry your goodies & sit on if it is muddy. Don't take a rucksack as it will likely be searched.

Use a washed out branded cup to drink from or pop your can inside, security won't know you have your own stash & thus won't bother you.

If your beer or cider is warmer than the surface of the sun then just mix it in with a fresh cold pint from a stall until you are sufficiently leathered enough to dive straight in to that fizzy hot tin of loveliness. You'll have something to drink out of then.

Don't bring glass bottles, they are heavy anyway.